National Conference MLA threatens against scrapping of Article 370

In a controversy that outrightly exposes the Abdullah-led National Conference’s pro-secessionist and anti-India ideology, senior party leader and MLA Javed Rana threatened that India’s flag won’t be unfurled in the valley if the BJP government abrogates Article 370 of the Constitution which gives undue autonomy to the terror hit state.

A video has been doing the rounds in which the Mendhar National Conference MLA can be seen addressing a huge crowd and stating that the Tricolour will have no presence in the state if the Modi government decides to abrogate Article 35A and Article 370 of the Constitution of India. He further stated that the said provision is a bridge between the country and Kashmir and that any attempt to break it will be disastrous. He further stated that, “Through the media, I want to request our Prime Minister that if they scrap Articles 35A or Article 370 then India’s flag won’t be unfurled here. I want to say that if they tinker with Article 370 or if they try to modify Article 370 then India’s flag will have no presence here.”

Trying to create discord among the people of Kashmir towards India, Rana tried to put across the point that Kashmir is related to India only on the account of Article 370 of the Constitution and that if this provision was scrapped, then the relation between India and Kashmir automatically ends. Article 370 which is a controversial provision that allows Jammu and Kashmir to have a separate Constitution, had been added to the Constitution by a Presidential Order in 1954. However, the BJP has on many occasions favoured doing away with the said provision but state parties and the ‘secular’ parties have been warning against any such move.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has made it clear that Article 370 and 35A are temporary provisions that can be removed from the Constitution even without voting in the Parliament. He made these remarks in light of Farooq Abdullah’s statement that any attempt to thwart the special status to Jammu and Kashmir will not succeed. Swamy added that, “He (Farooq Abdullah) is nobody to say that at all. These are all temporary laws. It is there in the Constitution. Article 370, for example, is stated to be a temporary provision which can be removed without a vote from the parliament. So he can go on saying and look foolish when it is removed. Also, he can’t do anything and he has no support from the public.” Going by Swamy’s version, the government is free to revoke this controversial provision whenever it deems fit and these warnings being given by the National Conference thus appear to be just empty threats. The government has, however, no plans to abrogate this provision as of now. Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir stated in the Parliament that there is no proposal before the government to scrap Article 370. Replying to a written question in the Lok Sabha, he said that, “There is currently no such proposal under consideration of the government.”

The National Conference has in the recent past shown a very benevolent attitude towards secessionists in Kashmir. It seems that due to the exile from power, National Conference is doing everything it can to make a comeback. The idea of Article 370 being a bridge between India and Kashmir is merely a figment of imagination. In fact, if this provision is abrogated it will help in administering Jammu & Kashmir like any other state in the country. Abdullah and his sycophants from National Conference have resorted to ugly tricks and deceits in order to mislead the people of Kashmir and create animosity among the people of Kashmir towards India.